The Paleys (1921-1927) - An Alternate Romanov Story

The Empress of the House

Vladimir

Alexei's recovery was not straightforward. He needed four blood transfusions over the course of two weeks, and his sister Anastasia, stoically and proudly, was happy to provide him with the precious blood he needed. There were some days he looked better and could even sit and talk with those around him, but this could often be followed by another episode on the same day or the day after that would prostrate him again.

However, after two weeks, things began to settle, and Alexei could now sit in bed for most of the day, although he looked like a fraction of himself and spent a lot of time sleeping. He had completely exhausted all of his strength over the dreadful days that had followed his fall.

Nobody knew for certain what had happened except for Alexei and Natalia. But it did seem like they had worked on a general story together, although they had forgotten — or hadn't had time — to brush up on a few details. Both claimed they had been walking in the garden when Alexei tripped and fell. However, Alexei said he stumbled over some tree branches, while Natalia mentioned a garden bench. Their accounts of why they were in the garden at such a late hour also diverged slightly. Alexei explained that his leg had been bothering him, preventing him from sleeping, so he had gone to Natalia's room to invite her for a walk. On the other hand, Natalia said she had been feeling sad about his imminent departure and had visited his room to talk, leading to their decision to take a walk for fresh air.

Whatever the truth, Empress Alexandra made her disapproval of Natalia's presence around Alexei unmistakably clear. The only reason Alexei had not yet been moved to the hotel suite his parents had rented at the Ritz was the doctors' firm advice against it. Vladimir was confident, however, that the moment the doctors deemed Alexei fit for the short drive, he would be whisked away.

Since her arrival, the Empress—no one who came into contact with her dared suggest the title didn't belong to her anymore—had firmly taken over the running of the household, particularly the sick room. Though still happily married to the former Tsar, her role as the founder of a nursing order in England, modelled after her sister's in Moscow, seemed to elevate her presence. Always dressed in her nun's habit, there was an undeniable aura of authority and reverence about her, and while her husband was just as present around the house, it was clear to everyone that she was the one in charge.

She spent most of her days in Alexei's bedroom, questioning the doctors and giving instructions whenever possible. She oversaw the cooking of his meals in the kitchen and made every effort to avoid contact with others in the house. The only person she spoke to was Vladimir's father. Yet, much like their tense encounter at the Alexander Palace in 1917—when the Empress had ended the conversation by ordering his arrest— Vladimir knew that even his towering father felt a rare sense of intimidation in her presence.

In order to appease the tension following the Empress's stormy arrival and to address the serious consequences of Natalia's actions, Vladimir's father punished her by sending her back to school to complete the final two weeks of her term. Vladimir tried to remember any other time Natalia had been punished in her life and could not think of any. It was heartbreaking for their father to do so, and Natalia's vehement protests at being separated from Alexei were so impassioned that many of the servants were moved to tears. Still, Vladimir understood his father's position.

He loved his sister and would always stand by her, even if he couldn't openly show it. But she needed to understand that Alexei wasn't just her friend, someone she could involve in her schemes for fun without considering the consequences. He was the Tsar of Russia, and the recklessness of whatever they had been doing that night could have easily plunged the Empire into a constitutional crisis if not for the advancements in modern medicine.